The final batch of Irish peacekeeping troops serving in war-torn Chad will today touch down in Dublin.

The final batch of Irish peacekeeping troops serving in war-torn Chad were tonight making the long journey home.

Dublin has been ranked ahead of London and Paris in a new worldwide quality of life survey.

Defence Minister Willie O’Dea today begins an official three-day visit to Irish troops serving in Chad.

IRISH troops in Chad were monitoring the security situation in the troubled African country last night following an explosion in the capital, N’djamena.

IN TEMPERATURES of up to 55°C and in one of the most dangerous parts of the world, members of the Irish army were among the first to vote in the Lisbon treaty referendum.

IRISH troops went into battle yesterday in a final test ahead of their peacekeeping mission to war-torn Chad.

CHAD’S President Idriss Deby yesterday granted an official pardon for six French aid workers jailed in December for abducting children from the landlocked central African country, state radio said.

The Defence Forces were tonight preparing a major logistical operation to transport supplies and equipment to the elite Army Ranger unit in Chad.

DEFENCE Minister Willie O’Dea will meet military chiefs in Paris today ahead of theexpected deployment of Irish and international troops to Chad next week.

CHAD’S president issued a “solemn call” yesterday for a planned European peacekeeping force to quickly deploy to Chad to ease pressure on his forces after days of fighting left hundreds dead in the Central African country.

The UN Security Council today condemned the rebel attack on Chad and gave a green light for France and other countries to help the government repel the force.

Chad rebels said today they withdrew voluntarily from Chad’s capital overnight, but it was unclear if they succumbed to the force of helicopter gunships and tanks deployed by government forces.

Hundreds of rebels penetrated the capital of Chad today, clashing with government troops and moving on the presidential palace after a three-day advance across the Central African nation, officials and witnesses said. Looting, gunfire and explosions were reported.

Chad state radio went off the air today as rebels advanced into the capital, opposition leader Ibni Oumar Mahamat Saleh said.

A decision in regard to the deployment of Irish troops to Chad will be taken on the basis of events over the coming 72 hours, according to the Defence Forces.

The deployment of Irish troops to Chad faced a further delay tonight after it emerged rebel troops were closing in on the capital forcing the closure of the local airport.

Six French charity workers sentenced to eight years’ forced labour in Chad for trying to kidnap 103 children were behind bars today, shortly after arriving back in France.

CHAD insisted yesterday it would have the last word over the fates of six French aid workers sentenced to eight years of forced labour as France asked they be sent home.

Soldiers and rebels have both claimed to have killed several hundred of their opponents in combat yesterday in eastern Chad in what may turn out to be the heaviest fighting since rebels tried to take the capital N’Djamena last year.

Nine French people charged with kidnapping over their involvement in trying to fly scores of children out of Chad could face trial in their own country.

Authorities in Chad said today they were holding seven crew members of a plane contracted to fly more than 100 children out of the impoverished African country, as President Idriss Deby called an attempt by nine French citizens to take the children away to Europe “shocking” and promised punishment for anyone found to have been involved.

A Sudanese plane carrying 103 passengers and crew was hijacked today and diverted to the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, where the hijacker surrendered.

A hijacked Sudanese plane landed in the Chadian capital N’Djamena this morning, a government official said.

Soldiers have gathered along a strategic road in trucks mounted with machine guns as a rebel convoy was spotted heading towards the capital of Chad.

The government of Niger has ordered the expulsion of 150,000 Arab refugees from Chad and neighbouring countries who have lived there for decades.

A United Nations aid worker was shot and wounded in eastern Chad after being pulled from her car in a volatile region near the Sudanese border, the agency said today.

Sudan is willing to hold talks with neighbouring Chad to restore diplomatic relations, a leading member of the Sudanese ruling party said on Saturday.

Thousands rallied in Chad’s capital N’Djamena yesterday in support of the president following a defeated rebel attack, while the oil minister threatened to shut down the country’s oil pipeline unless the government is compensated for frozen oil revenues.

Thousands of people rallied today in Chad’s capital N’djamena in support of the president following a defeated rebel attack, while the oil minister threatened to shut down the country’s oil pipeline unless the World Bank releases frozen oil revenues.

Chad's president has broken off relations with Sudan and threatened to expel 200,000 refugees from the neighbouring Darfur region after parading more than 250 captured rebels through the streets of the capital following a violent attempt to overthrow him.

Chad broke off diplomatic relations with neighbouring Sudan today, escalating tensions between the two African nations a day after a deadly rebel attack on the capital ended with at least 350 people dead.

At least 350 people died during a rebel attack on Chad’s capital N’Djamena and 271 rebels were captured, a government minister said today.

Chad’s president Idriss Deby declared victory today following a rebel attack on the capital, assuring Chadians that his government was in control of the country.

Chadian attack helicopters fired rockets at rebel positions around the capital N’Djamena today, and tank fire and mortar rounds echoed through the city as government troops attempted to hold off a rebel attack.

The United Nations has decided to significantly reduce UN staff in parts of Sudan’s volatile West Darfur region because of increasing insecurity and the growing possibility of a war between Sudan and neighbouring Chad.

US legislators have vowed to push for UN sanctions against the Sudanese government after meeting with Darfur rebels in western Sudan and visiting camps for Sudanese refugees in Chad over the weekend.